Towards User-level QoE: Large-scale Practice in Personalized Optimization of Adaptive Video Streaming

Abstract: Traditional optimization methods based on system-wide Quality of Service (QoS) metrics have approached their performance limitations in modern large-scale streaming systems. However, aligning user-level Quality of Experience~(QoE) with algorithmic optimization objectives remains an unresolved challenge. Therefore, we propose \texttt{LingXi}, the first large-scale deployed system for personalized adaptive video streaming based on user-level experience. \texttt{LingXi} dynamically optimizes the objectives of adaptive video streaming algorithms by analyzing user engagement. Utilizing exit rate as a key metric, we investigate the correlation between QoS indicators and exit rates based on production environment logs, subsequently developing a personalized exit rate predictor. Through Monte Carlo sampling and online Bayesian optimization, we iteratively determine optimal parameters. Large-scale A/B testing utilizing 8\% of traffic on Kuaishou, one of the largest short video platforms, demonstrates \texttt{LingXi}'s superior performance. \texttt{LingXi} achieves a 0.15\% increase in total viewing time, a 0.1\% improvement in bitrate, and a 1.3\% reduction in stall time across all users, with particularly significant improvements for low-bandwidth users who experience a 15\% reduction in stall time.